Putin is trying to bring Cold War-like split back – Dmitry Oreshkin

He shared his opinions with Espreso TV.

"Putin lacks weapons, he needs help from China, North Korea, and Iran. That's why defense ministers meet, of course, to discuss direct arms supplies or the transfer of technology for their accelerated production, or at least high-tech parts that Putin has to buy from China. But there is also a second level – the strategic one, which is that Putin is trying to restore the Cold War-like split of the world: to build a Moscow-Beijing axis, a nuclear axis, so that the West as a cultural civilization meets a powerful and equal opponent in the form of two authoritarian and almost totalitarian regimes that have united," the professor commented.

Prof. Oreshkin noted that Putin would like to stop the West, particularly in supporting Ukraine, with the threat of a new global conflict between the East and the West. To do this, he is willing to sacrifice Russia's leadership role, following in Beijing's tail. But it seems that Beijing is not ready to build this Hitler-like axis and does not want to get too close to Putin because he is toxic.

"Beijing doesn't really need Putin, but Putin needs Beijing very much, and Beijing is well aware of this. So far, they are pausing because China has not fought with anyone in the last 60 years and has achieved great economic success, having large markets in America and the EU. At most, the Kremlin's program is to scare the West with the threat of a split and a global cold war, and possibly a hot war, between the two blocs. China probably does not like this option. The program is at least at the tactical level – the Kremlin wants to get weapons. Western and Chinese politicians are well aware of this logic," Oreshkin said.

• On April 16, Putin met with China's defense minister in Moscow.

• On April 18, the Institute for the Study of War noted that the visit of the Chinese Defense Minister to Russia would not expand military cooperation between the countries.